[1] In this episode, a reporter publicly "outs" Jerry and George as a gay couple, and they struggle to convince the rest of the world of their heterosexuality.
While at Monk's Café, Elaine Benes notices a woman in a nearby booth eavesdropping, and as a prank speaks to Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza as if they were a closeted gay couple.
Throughout the episode, Jerry and George fear being seen as gay, yet also feel afraid they will be perceived as homophobic, so they condition their denials with the phrase "not that there's anything wrong with that.
Their concerns were unfounded, as "The Outing" won a GLAAD Media Award (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) for Outstanding Comedy Episode.
[4] Conversely, In 2023, Vulture retroactively declared it the second-worst episode of the series (after “The Puerto Rican Day”), stating it “wholeheartedly embraces gay panic as a plot device to a nonsensical, largely unfunny degree”.